D: That happens sometimes with any level of product that you buy. After working in a bike shop for as long as I did you see lots of problems with items. There are times when I would recommend to the company to recall a product because it was junk. I don't like to focus on any one company but Cateye's cheaper products worked just fine. Now I have a polar power unit. It is great because of all the extra items that are included. I can even tell now that one leg is working harder than the other and I could probably even figure out why that happens. Ok off track again. I know cheap cyclometers are a huge pain. It is a good idea to take tiem and research what they are going to buy. Also make sure the bike shop has a good return policy. It is really good to "over-use" a product when you get it. The more you play with it the sooner you will find what works and doesn't work. During my down time I would take a product and play with it so I coulud understand it better. I like to give recommendations on something that I have experienced first hand and not on someone else's experience. If I do go off of someone else's recommendation then I must trust them and know that they know what they are talking about. Well I have just went and had another long post when I just wanted to make it a short one. Take it easy out there and keep yourself safe.

F: I would be a little frustrated if I were in your position. But then I realized that you already have a bike so you aren't totally w/o a bike. Well if the shoes feel right then go for them. I have my preference for shoes and I usually stick to that style. I have however, wanted to get around to trying a new style of shoe that came out about three years ago. It's the style that uses a single string that binds the shoe together and is tightened by a knob. There are many kinds of cyclometers and I say a cheap one usually works just fine. I used a Cateye computer that cost some where between 10 and 20. That means that they all pretty much work. The big thing that you pay for is wireless or extra features. I am sure you are going to have a great time with your new bike. You will have lots of new goals that you can beat later. Some will probably be beaten sooner than later but either way you are going to have fun. Remember to keep the rubber side down.

F: Has that bike showed up yet? I hope you have found some good shoes. There are so many brands out there that your feet will have to tell you which to get. I'm sure you are going to have a great time with your new bike.

F: Ok if you are looking for pedals then you have a huge amount to choose from. There are a few basic kleat types but the pedal style changes have a wide variety. CJ mentioned SPD pedals. The basic for of these have two sides to lock into. Another style is like what CJ has where one side is a platform and the other has the spot to lock in with your SPD kleat. This kleat is also nice because most everybody has these in their spin classes. It's probably the most widely used kleat. If I'm not mistaken it is the first kleat made after the clip style headed out. Next is a style that I like a lot and usually recommend is the Look style kleat and pedal. Look makes a lot of different style pedals. There are some higher end pedals that use special kleats but from the bottom to just about the top the kleats are the same. It uses a three hole connection to the shoe. It is also nice that they make a "Kleat Cover" that is rubber and lets you walk around when you get off the bike. That is a huge reason that I tell people to pick it up. Here is another three hole style that looks a lot like the Look pedal. It is a little lighter and I'm sure you aren't counting grams. It is the Shimano style. I can't remember the name of it right now but it goes with the Ultegra and Dura-Ace pedals. I have these too. I have about five or six bikes and I use most of the styles out there. It's really nice and still fairly easy to walk around on. The Kleat Cover for the Look kleats pretty much fits on these too. Ok the last style that I'm going to mention is the Speedplay pedal/kleat set up. The pedal looks like a lolly-pop. It is pretty light and popular amongst the roadies. I can't really say much about these but they are pretty easy to use.

Shoes Well there are so many different styles that just find something that feels good. You want as much power transfer as you can get. The best you will find is going to be Carbon fiber. Other than that there really isn't too much that is stiffer. I think Specialized makes a great shoe. Actually most of their products are great. Sidi have great shoes too. They are really high-tech and cost a lot but they feel pretty good. I lean towards the Specialized usually. Ok I'm ending this post here. I'm sure I gave you more info then you care to have. Take it easy out there.

Hello Fozzy: I'm the guy with the OCR3. When I first got my road bike, I was determined not to look like those road bike riders with all the spandex and other fancy stuff. Then I got into the spandex and other fancy stuff for a while. Eventually though, I worked my way into my own style. I do wear the spandex shorts, but always either wear a very light pair of nylon cargo shorts over them, or carry something to slip on when I am off the bike.

Shirts are a little loose fitting, but are all the wick type. If you really get into riding, you are going to go with shoes that snap on to the pedals. Again, after trying a few types, I settled on SPD pedals. Those are the ones where on side you clip on and the other side is regulay old platform.

Enjoy your riding. Chances are your going to get really hooked on it.

Your freedom of speech is earned by allowing others their freedom of speech.

A good pair of cycling shorts is recommended. Some can ride w/o them but I usually tell people they should try them. If you don't have one already then you might want to look into a saddle with a split in it. If you don't, there is a possibility that you might suffer a few problems below the horizon. It is something that you could always discuss with a doctor. A good pair of gloves is always nice. Ok here is a list of nice extras. A jersey is going to make you look more like a rider along with the shorts. It is also great because you have pockets in the back that you can use for whatever you want to carry. A Camelbak is a great thing. I have a "Mule" and I put all my gear in it. There are bigger Camelbaks but this one is fine for me. You could always upgrade your components. The more expensive a groupo you have the better they work and the lighter they are. At a certain point you just get lighter components and they work about the same but it takes an expert feel to gauge the difference. Ok I just remember some very important items. A good multi-purpose tool a good. I use "Alien II" for my riding needs. A spare tire is a great thing to have but not everybody carries one. I recommend having one because if you run over glass and the tire gets cut then it's done for. A few spare tubes would be a great thing to have. I usually have two with me. A pump would be a great thing to have but floor pumps are to bulky to carry and most bike mounted hand pumps are too hard to pump I use CO2. One of the big tubes from a hardware store (16g I think) will get you up to ~100 psi. A set of tire wrenches are good. That might not be what their technical name is but that's what I usually hear them called and I have adopted the name. Ok I just ran out of ideas. I don't think there really is too much that you need to carry except for the repair kit. Good luck to you out there. I'm sure you will enjoy your new bike.

F: Congrats on finally picking up your new bike. It is a nice model. I have sold a lot of them while I was working in the shop and my wife even has one. Also welcome to the team. You will find lots of wonderful people to chat with. Good luck with your goals.

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